The Sammy Film Music Awards (SFMA) have been awarded each year
by Roger L.Hall, Managing Editor of Film Music Review
and a member of the
International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA)
He is the author
of a new book which includes
a listing of 32 years
of the SFMA (1988-2020)
with numerous illustrations
Click this picture to read how to order
the PDF book (PineTree Press, 450 pages)
Celebrating Sammy Cahn!
This CD was recorded live in celebration of the Sammy Cahn Centennial at Pickman Concert Hall,
Longy School of Music, Cambridge, Massachsetts, April 7, 2013.
Singers:
Valerie Anastasio, Leigh Barrett, Eric Bronner,
Bradford Conner,
JoAnne Dickinson, Peter Miller, Davron Munroe, Cynthia Mork,
Joei Marshall Perry, Benjamin Sears, Michelle Vachon.
Band musicians:
Steve Susman and Marguerite Ulmer, piano;
Dave Matayabas, bass; Ian Carroll, saxophone; Dean Groves, percussion.
Concert Host:
Popular Boston area radio personality, Ron Della Chiesa,
with additional commentary by JoAnne Dickinson.
This recording was made possible through a generous grant from
the American Music Recordings Archive (AMRA)
Order your personal CD of this complete centennial concert at
It's Magic
Watch these live concert performance from the American Classics ensemble
on YouTube:
"Bei Mir Bist Du Shein"
"Call Me Irresponsible"
"High Hopes"
Sammy Cahn and His Songmates
Sammy worked with many songwriters and arrangers, including George Barrie, Nicholas Brodszky (the "Irving Berlin of Hungary"),
Saul Chaplin (Sammy's first collaborator), Vernon Duke, Sammy Fain, Gene DePaul, Axel Stordahl, but most of all with these two great songwriters, who were also Oscar award winners:
With his collaborator, songwriter
Jule Styne (1905-1994), Sammy received an Emmy (the first and only one for a popular song) for "Love and Marriage" from the NBC television production, OUR TOWN (1955).
Sammy and
James Van Heusen (1913-1990) received three Oscars for their movie songs.
Words by Sammy Cahn...
"Lyric writing has always been a thrilling adventure for me, and something I've done with the kind of ease that only comes with joy!"
"Two things are needed for a great song: melody and meaning"
"Popular songs are the subconscious of America. And this country has a subconscious which is the envy of the world. Our popular songs are a national treasure, making us the richest nation in history. When we hear a popular song we relive the past, the words and music evoking the highlights of our lives."
Sammy Cahn and His Oscar and Emmy Awards
From the memorial tribute to Sammy Cahn
in Sheet Music Magazine (1993)
Sammy Cahn (1913-1993) was Oscar nominated more than any other songwriter –
26 times in all between 1942 and 1975.
Academy Awards for Best Song:
- "Three Coins in the Fountain" (1954) from
THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN
- "All the Way" from THE JOKER IS WILD (1957)
- "High Hopes" from A HOLE IN THE HEAD (1959)
- "Call Me Irresponsible" from PAPA'S DELICATE CONDITION (1963) -
- "Love and Marriage" - music by James Van Heusen -
from the television production, OUR TOWN (1955).
All five award-winning songs were recorded and made popular by Frank Sinatra, a longtime friend and admirer of Sammy's lyrics. Credit is also due to the sublime talents of Nelson Riddle who arranged and conducted the Sinatra sessions for Capitol Records. It was an ideal blending of a great lyricist and songwriter, a superb singer, and an excellent arranger.
Sammy Cahn's 26 Academy Award Nominated Songs
(Oscars in bold type):
"All the Way" - Frank Sinatra in Hollywood
All five award-winning songs with lyrics by Sammy Cahn
recorded by Frank Sinatra on YouTube:
"Three Coins in the Fountain"
"All the Way"
"High Hopes"
"Call Me Irresponsible"
"Love and Marriage"
The Sammy Film Music Awards (or The Sammys) began in 1988 with just Best Score and Best Song.
Other categories were added later, such as: Best Song Compilation which began in 1997, and Platinum Award for Most Overlooked Score, first named in 2000. The Sammys are chosen based on the quality of the soundtrack, song or compilation on CDs.
These awards are named in honor of Sammy Cahn, and the first Sammy Awards were chosen in 1988 – the year of Sammy Cahn’s 75th birthday.
For his years of distinguished lyric writing, he was named for the first Lifetime Achievement Award. When he was notified of these awards he said he was “flattered and honored" to have them named after him. He certainly deserved the honor since he received 4 Oscars and 26 nominations, more than any other songwriter.
The Sammy Film Music Awards (SFMA) are announced for film music CDs (songs, soundtracks, compilations, record producers, record labels) and have no connection to any other film awards such as BAFTA, Golden Globes, the Oscars, and others.
These awards are based on the overall quality of the CD release. How the music is used in the film is also considered but is not the only factor in the final choice. Special attention is paid to vintage film music, especially from the era of lyricist, Sammy Cahn. New film scores and songs are also included.
SFMA are the longest running awards devoted exclusively to film music on CDs. When they began they wewre announced in newspapers and on radio programs, like "Music America" with Ron Della Chiesa on WGBH in Boston. Now these awards are announced on this site.
It has been my pleasure to continue with these awards for the past 25 years and to celebrate the best in film music and also pay homage to that late great lyricist, Sammy Cahn.
-- Roger Hall
.jpg)
For more information go to
The Sammy Film Music Awards (Home)
Other recommended CDs:
An Evening with Sammy Cahn (LIVE)
Frank Sinatra Sings the Select Sammy Cahn
.jpg)
